Double Decker National Express Coach Crosses Hogarth Flyover
Driver ignores restrictions scraping side of vehicle on barriers
A double decker coach belonging to National Express was seen crossing the Hogarth Flyover in Chiswick this weekend.
The photo above was taken at 9.05am on Sunday morning (19 January). The driver scraped the side of their vehicle when they went through the width restrictions at the entry to the bridge which should prevent any vehicle above 6ft 6 inches wide from crossing.
The bridge has a 3 ton weight restriction and the coach would probably have been four times over the limit.
National Express reintroduced double deck coaches in the London area in 2016 to serve rising demand. They had previously withdrawn them from their fleet in 2007 due to safety concerns after a motorway crash in which two people died and 66 passenger were injured.
The Hogarth Flyover was meant to be a temporary solution when it was built in the early 1970s but plans for a permanent replacement were shelved and the steel frame bridge remains in place. It has recently been refurbished.
A spokesperson for National Expresssaid, "The closure of the M4 on Sunday 19 January resulted in the 040 from Bristol to London being diverted from its normal route. The driver was given guidance of an appropriate alternative but unfortunately took a wrong turn resulting in being in the incorrect lane which funnelled traffic onto the Hogarth Flyover through a series of barriers.
"There was some damage to the vehicle from contact with the barriers but there was no injury to the passengers on board who were safely moved onto alternative transport to London Victoria Coach Station.
"The incident has been reported to the Metropolitan Police and the driver has been suspended from driving duties pending an internal investigation."
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January 20, 2020